diff --git a/packages/backend/src/remote/activitypub/models/note.ts b/packages/backend/src/remote/activitypub/models/note.ts
index be4f44f69..8436f7c3d 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/remote/activitypub/models/note.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/remote/activitypub/models/note.ts
@@ -30,20 +30,20 @@ import { extractApMentions } from './mention.js';
 import { normalizeForSearch } from '@/misc/normalize-for-search.js';
 import { sideEffects } from '@/services/note/side-effects.js';
 
-export function validateNote(object: IObject): Error | null {
+function validateNote(object: IObject) {
 	if (object == null) {
-		return new Error('invalid Note: object is null');
+		throw new Error('invalid Note: object is null');
 	}
 
 	if (!isPost(object)) {
-		return new Error(`invalid Note: invalid object type ${getApType(object)}`);
+		throw new Error(`invalid Note: invalid object type ${getApType(object)}`);
 	}
 
 	const id = getApId(object);
 	if (id == null) {
 		// Only transient objects or anonymous objects may not have an id or an id that is explicitly null.
 		// We consider all Notes as not transient and not anonymous so require ids for them.
-		return new Error(`invalid Note: id required but not present`);
+		throw new Error(`invalid Note: id required but not present`);
 	}
 
 	// Check that the server is authorized to act on behalf of this author.
@@ -52,13 +52,11 @@ export function validateNote(object: IObject): Error | null {
 		? extractPunyHost(getOneApId(object.attributedTo))
 		: null;
 	if (attributedToHost !== expectHost) {
-		return new Error(`invalid Note: attributedTo has different host. expected: ${expectHost}, actual: ${attributedToHost}`);
+		throw new Error(`invalid Note: attributedTo has different host. expected: ${expectHost}, actual: ${attributedToHost}`);
 	}
 	if (attributedToHost === config.hostname) {
-		return new Error('invalid Note: by local author');
+		throw new Error('invalid Note: by local author');
 	}
-
-	return null;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -127,11 +125,7 @@ export async function fetchNote(object: string | IObject): Promise<Note | null>
 export async function createNote(value: string | IObject, resolver: Resolver, silent = false): Promise<Note | null> {
 	const object: IObject = await resolver.resolve(value);
 
-	const err = validateNote(object);
-	if (err) {
-		apLogger.error(`${err.message}`);
-		throw new Error('invalid note');
-	}
+	validateNote(object);
 
 	const note: IPost = object;
 
@@ -339,11 +333,7 @@ export async function resolveNote(value: string | IObject, resolver: Resolver):
  * If the target Note is not registered, it will be ignored.
  */
 export async function updateNote(value: IPost, actor: User, resolver: Resolver): Promise<Note | null> {
-	const err = validateNote(value);
-	if (err) {
-		apLogger.error(`${err.message}`);
-		throw new Error('invalid updated note');
-	}
+	validateNote(value);
 
 	const uri = getApId(value);
 	const exists = await Notes.findOneBy({ uri });